Different Types of Knitting Needles

You have many options to choose from when buying knitting needles. Not only do you have to decide on what type you need, but you also have to choose what type of material the needles are made from. Both decisions are influenced by what you will be knitting and by personal preference. To help you out, here is a brief description of these two factors.

Materials Used For Needles:

Knitting needles are made from a variety of materials. The type of material used provides friction that will influence how easy the stitches come off the needle. Sometimes a needle that is rougher is preferred so that the stitches don't slip off the needle accidentally; while other times speed is important and a smoother needle is required.

Wood: These needles have a rough surface. They are light weight and considered environmentally friendly because it comes from a renewable resource. Bamboo is a popular choice when buying wood needles. Bamboo is particularly environmentally friendly because it can grow as fast as 3-4 feet in a single day.

Metal: Metal needles are very smooth. This allows the stitches to easily slip off one needle and onto another needle. Experienced knitters who want to complete their project very quickly prefer this type of needle. Metal needles are very durable and hard to break. Aluminium is the most common type of metal used for metal needles.

Plastic or Acrylic: These needles are light weight, flexible and inexpensive. They usually have a different colour for each size the needle comes in, especially when they are sold as sets.

Types of Needles:

There are three main types of needles: circular, double pointed and straight. Each type of needle is used to produce different results, often referred to as flat or circular. Flat knitting creates flat pieces, such as scarves, while circular knitting creates circular pieces or tubes without seams. Some needles can only produce one type of result, while others can create several different types of results.

Circular: Circular needles have two needles at both ends with a flexible cable in the middle. The cable is long, anywhere from 24 to 60 inches. The needles at the end are short, inflexible and have tapered ends. They make it easy to add new stitches, while the cable holds the stitches after they have been added. When knitting with circular needles, hold one end in each hand. The advantage of circular needles is that they can hold hundreds of stitches, the stitches won't fall off the needles and the flexible cord in the middle can rest on the knitter's lap so that the weight of the stitches is not felt. Circular needles can be used for flat or circular knitting.

Double Pointed (Dpns): These needles are short and straight, but both ends of the needle are tapered. Stitches can be added from either end of the needle. Double pointed needles are used for knitting tubes, such as socks and sleeves. When knitting with dpns, four to five needles are used at the same time. One needle is used to add stitches, while the other needles hold the stitches in place. One specialized type of dpns are cable needles, which look like dpns, but they are shorter and have a dimple in the middle of the needle.

Straight Needle: The needle is long and straight. There is a knob or cap at one end, which prevents the stitches from falling off the needle. At the other end, the needle is tapered, similar to a sewing needle but it is blunt instead of being sharp. When knitting with straight needles, two needles are used. Straight needles are used for flat knitting, for example scarves or shawls.